Warning to Brits ahead of Spanish booze crackdown that could lead to hefty fine
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: JAIME REINA/AFP via Getty Images
Spanish holidaymakers are being urged to remember a crackdown on booze consumption is underway - and if you don’t comply? Well, it could see you being hit with a jaw-dropping, four-figure fine.
Drink-fuelled holidays to the Balearic Islands were once a post-education rite of passage, with thousands flocking to Magaluf once upon a time to tour the strip, take part in bar crawls, and dive headfirst into foam parties.
However, a clamp-down on ‘bad behaviour’ amid anti-tourism demonstrations has spelt the beginning of the end for alcohol-fuelled benders in Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera.
Under the 2024 Decree for Responsible Tourism Act, it is illegal to consume alcohol on the streets.
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If you’re caught cracking open a can outside of an establishment in San Antonio, your hotel, or your own home, then you could be handed a fine ranging between £431 (€500) and £2,589 (€3,000), as per The Mirror.
Sanctions may be given to travellers who are being excessively noisy during nighttime hours and partygoers who exhibit anti-social behaviour.
Anyone who takes part in ‘balconing’ - where people jump off a balcony into a body of water or hop between balconies - may also risk a £50,000 (€43151) fee.
Simon Hood, executive director of international moving firm John Mason, has issued warnings for party-loving Britsheading to Majorca and Ibiza this summer.
He informed The Mirror that authorities will not tolerate anyone flaunting the rules this summer and that sizeable fines will be doled out to offenders.
“In response to recent overtourism protests, the islands of Majorca and Ibiza have implemented Responsible Tourism rules following some understandable concern from local residents,” he explained.
“These laws were first introduced in 2024, however, new amendments have recently been proposed that many Brits are unaware of.
“Be careful you’re not caught out taking alcoholic drinks onto the street and spilling them. Being overly loud and drawing attention to yourself will also land you in trouble quicker.”
Holiday-goers who have booked all-inclusive packages or plan to attend organised bar crawls will also be affected by the laws, with drink limits being ushered in across Magaluf, Playa de Palma, S’Arenal, and San Antonio.
As per Thomas Cook, alcoholic drinks are capped at six per person per day in these holiday resorts.
You can consume three with lunch and indulge in a further three during your evening meal.
Hood warned that hotels can charge you more money if unruly tourists decide to cheat hotel staff and bend the strict all-inclusive drink rules.
“These rules may seem strict, but they’re trying to promote harmony between local residents who want to go about their lives and tourists enjoying their holidays. If I can provide one piece of advice, it’s have fun,” the expert added.